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The Trouble with Half a Moon

Danette Vigilante (Goodreads Author)

3.87 · Rating details · 310 ratings · 82 reviews

Ever since her brother's death, Dellie's life has been quiet and sad. Her mother cries all the time, and Dellie lives with the horrible guilt that the accident that killed her brother may have been all her fault.

But Dellie's world begins to change when new neighbors move into her housing project building. Suddenly, men are fighting on the stoop and gunfire is sounding off ...more

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Paperback, 208 pages

Published May 5th 2015 by Puffin Books (first published 2011)

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Oct 15, 2016 Ashley Daviau rated it it was amazing

I went into this book expecting a cutesy, simple story as it is meant for ages 10 and up. But what I got was so much more than that. This story was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. The fact that it dealt with a very real issue made it even more stunning and made me fall completely in love with it. The characters were so well developed and that made becoming attached to them inevitable. This is truly a stunningly beautiful story and the fact that it ends it such a sad yet realistic way ma ...more

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Dec 17, 2016 Taylor Knight rated it really liked it

The Trouble with Half a Moon is such a heartbreaking story and beautifully written.
Because this book is told from the perspective of such a young girl, it made it so much more emotional.
I wasn't a big fan of the direction of Miss Shirley's character and I wished there was more communication between Dellie and her parents.
But other than that, I really enjoyed the story. It was a pretty short book but it didn't feel rushed. I really like the writing style and I loved Corey and Dellie's friendsh ...more

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Aug 04, 2018 merina rey rated it really liked it

The ending felt a little rushed, but that aside, this story was beautiful. Heartbreaking and gut wrenching at times, but beautiful.

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Nov 05, 2012 Danette rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

Yep, I wrote this and even after all this time, I still like (love) it! ;)

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Jan 19, 2019 Ayelet rated it really liked it

I volunteered with the organization Behind the Book, and the students were working on a project based on this book, so I decided to read it, too. It was so incredibly sad, though beautifully told in a way that kids could process the feeling that came with difficult topics. This is definitely a book I would have enjoyed reading when I was younger.

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Sep 10, 2017 Tori rated it it was amazing

This book is one om favorites. It will take you through heart break, fear, and happiness. This book will take you through a teenage girl Dellie's life that is filled with sorrow. Her younger brother dies and she feels guilty. Her parents won't let her outside because they are afraid of anything happening to her. She worries for Corey a abused 5 years old that lives in her apartment. This book has tragedy, friendship, and boy drama. This book is only 200 pages but it has a amazing story that i wo ...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Ari rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

On paper this book sounds heartbreaking, the actual delivery was not so heartbreaking. Yes Corey is adorable and his story is upsetting, but there were so many little things that bugged me about this story I couldn't really get into it emotionally. My main problem was with Miss Shirley. Let's put it this way: Miss Shirley is magical and she makes everything all better. I wasn't expecting the magical elements and I didn't like them either. I understand putting in a wise elder figure, but making h On paper this book sounds heartbreaking, the actual delivery was not so heartbreaking. Yes Corey is adorable and his story is upsetting, but there were so many little things that bugged me about this story I couldn't really get into it emotionally. My main problem was with Miss Shirley. Let's put it this way: Miss Shirley is magical and she makes everything all better. I wasn't expecting the magical elements and I didn't like them either. I understand putting in a wise elder figure, but making her have special powers was just too much. It took away from Dellie learning about herself on her own which is part of the appeal of novels about young people (gah that expression makes me sound ridiculously old, haha). I didn't like the fact that Dellie's guilt for her brother Louis is never discussed with her parents, I would have thought that was a crucial part of her healing process.

To top it all off, Dellie's best friend Kayla is quick to throw away their friendship. I don't want to put spoilers in this review but it was very surprising and not in a good way. Kayla seemed like a good friend and that's all I'll say about it.

Like I said, above Corey is darling. Whose heart would not be torn when reading about a five-year old being abused? I also liked that Dellie was a well developed main character. She hates math (I can deeply relate to that) and she's in like with a guy named Michael. Michael isn't some tough guy with something to prove, he's gentle and good at math and it's a nice example of young (8th grade) love. I know I just got through saying that Kayla isn't the best of best friends but she has her own crush to deal with and that is portrayed nicely. I liked that there were two examples of relationships, both of them were subtle but it's clear which relationship is healthy and which is not. Through each member of Dellie's family, readers are introduced to the different ways we grieve. Dellie and her father internalize, Dellie's father throws himself into taking care of her mother. Dellie's mother cries and becomes overprotective. Dellie blames herself. These are all different ways we grieve and it's good to see how each character copes and comes to realize that the way they are handling the situation may not be the best way.

The Trouble With Half a Moon has a high emotional impact potential but the unsatisfactory (to me) way it was executed, kept me from really getting into the story. The 'mysterious sage' Miss Shirley, the lack of emotional closure that I felt Dellie received, and the sudden ending and other abrupt changes in character behavior kept the story from really reaching its potential. The friendship between Dellie and Kayla started off strong, but it had such a random low point that I had a hard time fathoming the change. I did like the crush details and the way grief was handled. The best part is in reading about Corey and Dellie's blossoming friendship. I also liked that Dellie wasn't this hardened character. Yes she kept everything to herself about how she felt, but she wasn't completely closed off just yet. Corey needs her but Dellie needs Corey as well.

I wouldn't highly recommend this book, but it's not a bad book.

...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Dainy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...

The voice of the novel, told in Dellie's words, is completely engaging and so real. It's straightforward, clear, and emotional at all the right points. Dellie's feelings are clearly portrayed, through her own words and through the things she does and the way she reacts to everything. Without Dellie coming straight out and telling the reader, her thoughts and reactions are very clear from the way she talks about what's goin Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...

The voice of the novel, told in Dellie's words, is completely engaging and so real. It's straightforward, clear, and emotional at all the right points. Dellie's feelings are clearly portrayed, through her own words and through the things she does and the way she reacts to everything. Without Dellie coming straight out and telling the reader, her thoughts and reactions are very clear from the way she talks about what's going on. The way she deals with her grieving mother comes across especially well, as she talks about her mother's daily actions in an understated, matter-of-fact manner.

The themes of grief, blame, guilt, and love are all portrayed exceptionally well, on all levels of the plot. Dellie's interactions with Corey showcase how she feels about her brother, but the subplot of Dellie and Kayla's friendship helps bring these themes into greater relief, as Dellie grapples with the guilt, blame, and love of that relationship.

All the relationships of the story are shown really well. Every single one feels real and believable. I love the relationship between Dellie and Corey, and the one between Dellie and her dad as well. Both of those made me smile many times, and both felt completely natural - all of the relationships in the book do, really, but these two in particular struck me as extremely real.

Though told from a middle-schooler's point of view, there are shades of meaning in each character and their interactions. This book does something that is really tricky - it works well for giving middle-grade readers a real, clear picture of what could go on in real life, in relationships and in someone's own mind, and at the same time it gives enough information that an adult could pick up on and understand certain points that a middle-grade reader would not pick up on. I really like that. This book is definitely meant for middle-grade readers, but their parents can read along with them and enjoy and appreciate the book as well. ...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Edward Sullivan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-novels

Vivid, affecting story about a family struggling to heal from great personal tragedy. An impressive debut novel.

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Feb 24, 2018 Omari rated it it was amazing

"The Trouble with Half a Moon" is a beautifully written story about a girl named Dellie as she has to overcome challenges between friendship, love, and emotional problems with one of her siblings. This book along with being enjoyable has many similarities with Danette Vigilante's later book like "saving baby doe"(which i strongly recommend checking out if you like this book as well). In the book Dellie grows up in a not so wealthy family, and the family all are depressed about an incident in whi ...more

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Oct 29, 2017 Melissa McGuire rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 03, 2018 Kath West rated it it was amazing

Wow. Just wow. This book hurt my heart in so many ways, but then warmed me completely at the same time. Definitely tw for child abuse and panic, but worth the read. I will definitely be reading this one again.

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May 02, 2017 Sandra Guzman rated it really liked it

I really liked this book love the story.

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Dec 29, 2017 Windy♥ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-owned-read

It's a tragic story with a satisfying ending. Everything falls into place. I like it more than I thought! ...more

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Dec 05, 2020 Paula Angus rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Even though it’s aimed at a younger audience, it’s a beautiful read! A lot more emotional than I expected, really enjoyed it.

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Nov 10, 2010 Ashley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: blog

This was originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante was a sweet story. Looking back over the notes I wrote while reading this book, and just after, 'sweet' is the word that kept popping up.

Dellie is struggling with grief and guilt after the death of her younger brother. He died in an accident that she blames herself for. It's been a year since his death and her family is struggling. Her mom won't let her leave the house, This was originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante was a sweet story. Looking back over the notes I wrote while reading this book, and just after, 'sweet' is the word that kept popping up.

Dellie is struggling with grief and guilt after the death of her younger brother. He died in an accident that she blames herself for. It's been a year since his death and her family is struggling. Her mom won't let her leave the house, except to go to school and then she insists on having Dellie's dad walk with her, to keep her safe.

Dellie struggles with this, but accepts this and watches the activities outside from her bedroom window. One day, a little boy knocks on Dellie's door, asking for food. His mother is neglectful and more interested in her boyfriend and (we assume) doing drugs that giving the 5 year old the care he needs. Corey reminds Dellie of her brother, and she tries to take care of him.

I loved Corey. He was my favorite character in this whole story. He's just the cutest little boy, and my heart broke a little watching the way his mother treated him and observing the pain he goes through daily. He attaches himself to Dellie quickly, and although she is scared to have someone depend on her again for fear she'll let them down, she loves him too.

Dellie learns a lot from her interactions with Corey, and those lessons become cemented in her mind and life with the help of Miss Shirley, the Jamaican woman who just moved into their apartment complex.

Although I rather liked Miss Shirley, I didn't love her inclusion in the story. She just happened to be the solution to every problem the characters faced, and I found myself watching instance after instance of 'Shirley ex machina', and it got a little old. It got to the point that I just waited for the characters to bump into Miss Shirley, because I knew it just had to be coming.

I also wish the story had a little more depth to it. It's a really big deal to be 13 and believe that you are the reason your brother is dead, and in the beginning of the story, Dellie comments that sometimes she wonders if her parents blame her but, we never hear about it again. That is a very important conversation to have. I don't think Dellie can forgive herself, even if she comes to realize it wasn't her fault if she wonders whether or not her parents blame her. It wasn't addressed as well or as thoroughly as I would have liked/thought was necessary.

There was also surprisingly little depth to most of the characters. I felt like we only got to see one side of each character and that was all we were given. Even the moments we caught a glimpse of something more within the characters, the author moved past the scene without expounding on anything. I felt that the story was too rushed, too quick for the story it told. This is a story I felt deserved more. It could have been great, but too much was glossed over or left entirely unexplored.

I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book to someone, but I also wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it. ...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Susan Ashcraft rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: novel, faves, children, teen, first, recommended, firstread, fiction, young-adult

I don't normally read or review middle grade or teen novels. But I decided to take a chance on this one because the synopsis intrigued me. I picked it up around 10 o'clock at night. I was only going to read the first chapter just to get an idea of the books flow and characters. Next thing I know its 230 in the morning and I'm sitting with the book in one hand, wiping away tears with the other. An incredibly touching book, with real insight into what a young girl of 13 feels about life, love, fri I don't normally read or review middle grade or teen novels. But I decided to take a chance on this one because the synopsis intrigued me. I picked it up around 10 o'clock at night. I was only going to read the first chapter just to get an idea of the books flow and characters. Next thing I know its 230 in the morning and I'm sitting with the book in one hand, wiping away tears with the other. An incredibly touching book, with real insight into what a young girl of 13 feels about life, love, friendship and the death of her young brother.

We first meet Delilah, Dellie to her friends, one late evening as the sound of a gun shot wakes up Dellie and her parents and the other residents of the building. They live in an apartment building in the poorer side of town and everyone knows you don't go out at night. They live on an upper floor and the shot was somewhere on the first floor. When her dad leaves the apartment to see what he can find out about the shot, Dellie and her mom are left alone, very afraid. Dellie's dad comes back saying everything is okay, and the small family go back to bed, still fearful, none of them sleeping, all of them thinking of Louis, Dellie's little brother who died just months ago.

Corey is a 5 year old boy who lives with his abusive mother on the first floor of the building. Corey is always hungry and several people in the building sneak him food, including Dellie. She is afraid her parents will find out and put a stop to it. She's also afraid if they see Louis they will become upset because he is so very like Louis.

Dellie and her friend Kayla walk to school together in the mornings, but because her parents fear for her safety, Dellie's father walks several feet behind them until they arrive at the school. Dellie is 13 and while she misses her brother so very much, she still wants to be like her friends, able to go outside and play, to walk by herself to school, and to go to the store. But the trauma her parents suffered with the lose of Louis, her little brother, they will not let her out of their sight. They fear the only way to keep her safe is to keep her close and in sight at all times. Her friend Kayla one day stops talking to her and won't tell her whats wrong. Dellie's life is spiraling down, and then Michael, a boy in her school talks to her and a new neighbor, Miss Shirley, moves into the building.

This is the story of a young girl, her guilt over her brother's death and the part she played in it, the difficulties of friendship, first romance and over-protective parents.

And while this might sound like a depressing read, let me assure you it is not! The author weaves an incredible story that is filled with hope, love and personal redemption. It is truly remarkable how the author knows a teenager's thinking and thoughts so well.

This novel is perfect reading for middle grade to teen readers as well as adults who like a well told, though simply worded book.

I won this book through GoodReads and my review was unsolicited.
...more

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Aug 25, 2020 Talitha Rae rated it it was amazing

Heartfelt and warming. Excellent read.

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Jul 18, 2010 Medeia Sharif rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a sweet MG novel about a thirteen-year-old girl named Dellie who has suffered the loss of her brother. She's not allowed to go out much because her mother wants to keep her only remaining child safe, yet her building has an increase in crime. Dellie bonds with an abused five-year-old boy in her building named Corey, meanwhile things are becoming rocky with her best friend Kayla. THE TROUBLE WITH HALF A MOON is a quick, enjoyable read with interesting facets of love, loss, being protected ...more

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Jun 08, 2014 Miami rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This was a very touching and beautiful story about family, friends, and faith. A huge lesson learned.

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Jul 04, 2015 Lexy rated it it was amazing

This book is AMAZING right when you thinbknothing else can happen theres another suprise

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Oct 15, 2016 Katie Young rated it it was amazing

I went into this book not excepting much but loved it . Such a heart-rending story told by a girl going through a hard time. Love it . It's a easy read. ...more

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Jan 03, 2017 Shelby rated it it was amazing

Very good and suspenseful.... I really like it it was super intense. VERY GOOD BOOK! READ IT!!!

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Feb 27, 2018 Eye of Sauron rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, middle-grade, contemporary

This is a cute little novel that reminds younger readers of the importance of healthy emotional relationships and the psychological trauma of loss. It fits together nicely, with realistic if generalized characters and a natural if slightly clichéd story.

Like a lot of similar novels, the characters' defining characteristics expand perhaps a bit too much to encompass the majority of their identities (e.g. Alexa is the jealous and annoying one, the mom is the mournful and overly cautious one, etc.) ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Reedmylife rated it it was ok

I think this book just tried to cram too many things into such a short book. It tackled grief, death, abuse, betrayal and pretty much anything else under the sun. It also seemed like the main character was replacing her younger brother. I just felt like this could have been executed better.

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Dec 14, 2017 Samantha rated it liked it

Shelves: written-review, ya-contemporary

I've been trying to make a conscious effort to read books with more POC main characters. This story is well done and I wouldn't recommend against it, but for me it wasn't anything more than average.

The main character is well rounded. She fights with her parents, is bad at math, has a crush, is dealing with grief, and struggles with friendships (new, with Corey, and old with Kayla). But her closure felt rushed and there wasn't a great enough emotional catharsis.

THEN the random magic that happens ...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Katrina Burchett rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, books-i-own

Delijah (Dellie) is thirteen years old and she’s in the seventh grade. She is her mother and father’s only child, but that wasn’t always the case. Her parents had a son, she had a little brother, his name was Louis, but now he’s gone; died at the young age of five.

Corey just moved into the building where Dellie lives. His father isn’t around and his mother treats him badly. He is a little boy in need of a friend.

Diana (Dellie’s Mother): She had a fear of losing the only child she had left, and ...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Gabby rated it liked it · review of another edition

After her brother died in a tragic accident, Dellie is devastated. Her parents become depressed and won’t let her out of the house by herself. Dellie feels that she has nobody to turn to. The majority of the kids at her school are mean to her, and her only friend, Kayla, is self-conscious about being poor. She feels lost and alone, until Corey moves in.
Corey lives on the first floor of their apartment building. One day, a bullet is shot through the door of Corey’s house, and after that, Corey
After her brother died in a tragic accident, Dellie is devastated. Her parents become depressed and won’t let her out of the house by herself. Dellie feels that she has nobody to turn to. The majority of the kids at her school are mean to her, and her only friend, Kayla, is self-conscious about being poor. She feels lost and alone, until Corey moves in.
Corey lives on the first floor of their apartment building. One day, a bullet is shot through the door of Corey’s house, and after that, Corey starts going up to Dellie for food. Corey reminds Dellie of her little brother who died. She starts to take him under her wing. She feeds him without her parents knowing, and starts to really care for him. When she finds him outside his room one day with bruises and scratches on him, she brings him up to her apartment where she meets Miss Shirley. Miss Shirley brings them into her apartment, and tells them stories about Jamaica, which is where she is from. Dellie starts going to Miss Shirley’s apartment a lot. One day, Dellie notices a painting of a half a moon on Miss Shirley’s wall. She asks Miss Shirley what it’s meaning is. She says: “Just because we cannot see this half of the moon doesn’t mean it’s not there. We know this without having to actually see it. You have to believe it’s there. Faith, young one, is powerful.” Dellie understands what she means and takes it to heart.
Dellie’s parents are starting to let her go out by herself now to run errands for Miss Shirley. On her first trip to the store, Dellie runs into her friend Kayla and her mean boyfriend. At the store, Dellie tries to talk to Kayla, but her boyfriend keeps convincing Kayla that she shouldn’t talk to her. He keeps bumping into Dellie and telling her to move. After Dellie buys her items, She is walking away when Kayla’s boyfriend reaches into her pocket and pulls out a whole bunch of items and tells everybody that Dellie is a thief. She is told she is not allowed to enter the store ever again. Dellie knows she didn’t take any of that stuff and runs out of the store crying.
Cory’s mother still beats Cory, and soon, Dellie’s parents meet Corey and fall in love with him. They feel that Corey replaces the hole that they have in their life after Louis, Dellie’s little brother, died. One quote from the book is: “Just before I bring Corey downstairs, he says to my mother, “I like you.” “I like you too.” She answers softly.” This shows a bond between Corey and Dellie’s family. Read The Trouble with Half a Moon to find out what happens at the end and what Corey’s future will end up to be.
The Trouble With Half a Moon is a book about love. It is heartwarming and you start to care about the different characters and their feelings. I enjoyed reading this book, however it was a bit slow. It was a sweet story, and left me feeling good, but it was not a good book for people who like books with lots of action or thriller parts. It is not a romantic book, nor is it a book with vampires or werewolves. However, it was a good book if you read those books and want a little change of pace. I would give The Trouble with a Half a Moon three stars.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy stories that are a little bit slow and to people who enjoy heartwarming stories. This is defiantly not a boy book, so if any boys are thinking about reading this, don’t bother reading it, you would most likely hate it. Corey gets beaten a lot by his mother and her boyfriend, so if you don’t like hearing about or reading about child abuse, than this might not be the book for you. The Trouble with Half a Moon is a girl book and a book for people who like reading heartwarming stories.

...more

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Nov 01, 2010 Nicola Mansfield rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Reason for Reading: I'm not exactly sure how I came about receiving this ARC, as I don't typically read Teen realistic fiction, but the subject matter was enticing as I read the back of the book, then proceeded to read the book.

This is a brief book, short in it's page numbers and printed with a line and a half spacing between text lines. This makes the book a quick read and I did read it within a day but the story does make one slow down one's normal reading speed as it is a poignant story with Reason for Reading: I'm not exactly sure how I came about receiving this ARC, as I don't typically read Teen realistic fiction, but the subject matter was enticing as I read the back of the book, then proceeded to read the book.

This is a brief book, short in it's page numbers and printed with a line and a half spacing between text lines. This makes the book a quick read and I did read it within a day but the story does make one slow down one's normal reading speed as it is a poignant story with deep emotion that one wants to linger over.

Dellie lives in the projects with her mom and dad. Last summer her little brother was killed in an accident. Dellie blames herself. Her mother is overcome with grief and spends most of her time dusting his shrine and crying. She has also forbidden 13yo Dellie to go outside on her own; this includes having her father shadow her to and from school. The father is dealing with his grief in a much more healthy manner but he stands by his wife giving her time. New tenants move in on the ground floor and the once peaceful building starts to have problems. A gunshot goes off in one of the halls. A small 5yo boy wanders the halls knocking on doors asking for bread. Dellie secretly becomes close to the boy, taking him under her wing, feeding him and finding out that he is neglected and abused by his mother. She feels as if she can save Corey in a way she was unable to save her brother but what she hasn't counted on is that Corey may have a way of saving what is left of her family.

Terribly striking story, emotional and poignant on many levels. The secret of Dellie's brother's accident isn't revealed until near the end of the book and why she feels so responsible. This keeps it a personal agony that only she deals with, no one else remotely considers her responsible. The mother's grief of loosing a child is heart-wrenching to read and the family's faith even amidst the pain is comforting. The abused boy's story is heart-breaking and eye-opening in what can go on behind closed doors and how others need to get involved in these situations, even if only in a small way, until someone has the strength to overcome the fear of calling the police.

The story even includes a bit of paranormal or providential intervention, however you may want to interpret it, or not, when a strange purple cape wearing Jamaican woman moves into the building and always seems to be at hand with the right things to say when the worst things are happening. This is a small element that doesn't really even crossover into magical realism. The reader is to make of it what they will. Personally, I found providence ever present in the lives of these characters. A stunning debut novel and I will have my ear to the ground anxiously awaiting news of her second. ...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Aaron rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Dellie's family has been wracked by the death of her brother. Her parents, who have been in counseling for months, are struggling to keep going. Her mother, has become distant and over-protective of Dellie while her father finds himself having to follow her around to make sure she is safe so his wife will not worry. Neither seems to notice that Dellie is fighting her own personal guilt. She can't help but wonder if their is something she could have done to save her brother Louis from the acciden Dellie's family has been wracked by the death of her brother. Her parents, who have been in counseling for months, are struggling to keep going. Her mother, has become distant and over-protective of Dellie while her father finds himself having to follow her around to make sure she is safe so his wife will not worry. Neither seems to notice that Dellie is fighting her own personal guilt. She can't help but wonder if their is something she could have done to save her brother Louis from the accident that killed him.

Things start to change when a new family moves into their housing project. Corey, the little boy who has come with his mother, is a tiny little thing, even though he is older than Louis would have been. Dellie can't help but feel for him, particularly as she starts to realize how tough things are for Corey. It quickly becomes clear that his mother is trouble when a gunshot breaks the silence of the night of their arrival. Things only get worse as everyone can't help but notice the arguing that takes place between Corey's mom and her boyfriend in the apartment.

Corey and Dellie become fast friends as he starts to escape and turn to her for support and some food when his mother abandons him without a meal. Corey and his troubles provide a reason for Dellie's family to find a focus other than the loss of Louis.

Dellie's troubles are not limited to just those relating to her brother's death and Corey's difficult situation. She has a burgeoning crush on Michael, one of the boys in her math class. She is also facing the fact that her best friend no longer wants to be her friend, and Dellie doesn't even know why.

This is a really moving story about a 13-year-old struggling to get through the tough realities of inner-city life. Her family is shattered by their lucky, but she is lucky, because she is not confronted with the challenging situation that Corey has. How will she find the strength in herself to not only help Corey but also to heal her own personal wounds?

I thought the characters in this story were very richly-drawn. You could almost feel them in the room while reading, and I know that I wanted to just do what I could to help both Dellie and Corey. At the same time, I felt like the book, which is fairly short, seemed to move along at a fairly slow pace, making it drag. That is not to say that I didn't like it. I really did want to know what was going to happen.

The book does struggle with some basic editing issues with misspelled words sprinkled throughout, and the errors are not tied to the use of urban slang. They are just typos. ...more

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